Collected Works of Yu Xin
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Summary
Editor's review
From an editorial perspective, the value of this edition lies in its balance of scholarship and readability. Zhang Peiheng's editorial work is rigorous and his collation meticulous; the annotations not only explain words and allusions but also emphasize the historical background and emotional core of the works, helping readers move through the text to feel Yu Xin's personal fate and complex state of mind amid great historical change. For literary enthusiasts, reading Yu Xin is a key window onto the transition from Northern and Southern Dynasties literature to Tang literature; his parallel prose and poetry reached the height of their era. This book is not a simple listing of works but guides readers with a scholarly eye into a turbulent age of dazzling literary brilliance. It is better suited to readers willing to read quietly and attentively and who wish to understand history and life through literature.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Researchers and enthusiasts interested in Northern and Southern Dynasties literature, especially parallel prose and poetry
- Readers hoping to understand in depth the inner journey of a writer who moved from south to north in Chinese literary history
- Chinese literature students and scholars in related fields, as a reliable text for study
- General readers who love classical literature and are willing to take on annotated classics
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking light entertainment or pure storytelling
- Beginners completely unfamiliar with classical Chinese and classical literature who lack the patience to consult annotations
Reading tips
- Begin with the preface or introduction to learn about the periods of Yu Xin's life and his place in literary history, building an overall understanding.
- There is no need to read straight through; start with representative works such as "Lament for the South" and "Twenty-Seven Imitations of Reflecting on My Heart" to experience his later style.
- While reading, consult the annotations and look up the historical background of the Northern and Southern Dynasties to better appreciate the grief for country and the sense of personal fate in the works.
About the publisher
Phoenix Books, Ltd. specializes in collating and publishing Chinese classics in literature, history, and philosophy, along with related academic works. Its publishing areas cover ancient poetry, classical literature, folk literature, literary appreciation, medicine, and Eastern philosophy, forming distinctive sectors in classical text collation, historical documents, and academic research. Its catalogue includes poetry collections such as The Collected Works of Su Shi, Li Bai, Xin Qiji, and Wang Wei; classical drama and fiction such as Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio and The Injustice to Dou E; and scholarly editions such as the Collated Edition of Zhouhou Beiji Fang (2 volumes) and An Introduction to the Study of Chinese Texts Abroad (Revised Edition). Its author resources include scholars such as An Pingqiu, Zhang Peiheng, Ma Zhanggen, Zeng Zaozhuang, Yu Xianhao, and Yang Zhong, as well as classic writers such as Pu Songling and Guan Hanqing.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 导读
- 文
- 春赋
- 镜赋
- 枯树赋
- 小园赋
- 哀江南赋并序
- 赵国公集序
- 谢滕王集序启
- 诗
- 奉和山池
- 昭君辞应诏
- 将命至邺
- 乌夜啼
- 燕歌行
- 和灵法师游昆明池二首
- 寄王琳
- 重别周尚书
- 拟咏怀二十七首
- 徐报使来止得一见
- 寄徐陵
- 伤王司徒褒
FAQ
Are the annotations in this book detailed? Is it suitable for non-specialist readers?
Does this edition include all of Yu Xin's works?
What are the main characteristics of Yu Xin's works?
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About the author
Zhang Peiheng (1934–2011), a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, was an outstanding professor at Fudan University and a renowned historian of literature and expert in the collation of ancient texts. He graduated from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Fudan University in 1954 and stayed on to teach, later serving as head of the department, director of the Research Center for Ancient Chinese Literature, and director of the Institute of Ancient Books. He devoted himself to the study of ancient Chinese literature while also working on modern literature, co-edited A History of Chinese Literature and A New History of Chinese Literature with Luo Yuming, and wrote such works as A Chronological Biography of Hong Sheng and Collected Doubts. His works include annotated collections of Su Shi, Xin Qiji, Wang Wei, Li Bai, Lu You, and Wang Anshi, as well as reference works such as the Dictionary of Chinese Literature and the Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Literature, History, and Philosophy, spanning ancient poetry, literary appreciation, and biography. He exerted a profound influence on the study of literary history and the collation of ancient texts.
An Pingqiu, born in Beijing in 1941 and of Manchu ethnicity, is a professor in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University and a scholar of classical Chinese texts. He has long been engaged in the collation and study of ancient books, focusing mainly on pre-Qin and Han texts and on Chinese rare books held overseas. He is the author of A Brief Account of Editions of the Records of the Grand Historian and the chief editor of selected Song and Yuan editions of Chinese rare books held by the Imperial Household Agency's Bureau of Books and Archives in Japan. He also served for many years as director of the National Committee for the Collation and Study of Ancient Books in Higher Education Institutions under the Ministry of Education, and is one of the chief compilers of the essential edition of the Confucian Canon. His 33 works in the collection center on classical poetry, covering major poets such as Su Shi, Wang Wei, Xin Qiji, Lu You, Li Bai, Wang Anshi, Han Yu and Li Shangyin, and fall under classical poetry, literary appreciation and biography. These works emphasize anthology arrangement and guided reading in plain language, helping readers approach classical poetry while reflecting his textual scholarship.
Ma Zhanggen is an author about whom limited public information is available; details such as his place of origin, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. Judging from the twenty-nine works held in the collection, his work centers mainly on classical poetry and literary appreciation, with additional titles in biography and miscellaneous prose. His representative works include Collected Works of Su Shi, Collected Works of Wang Wei, Collected Works of Xin Qiji, Collected Works of Li Bai, Collected Works of Li Qingzhao, Collected Works of Lu You, Collected Works of Wang Anshi, and Collected Works of Han Yu, most of which revolve around major Tang and Song poets and their writings. Publications of this kind usually combine selected texts, annotations, and commentary, making classical poetry more accessible to general readers. Overall, Ma Zhanggen focuses on organizing and popularizing classical literature; his works are intended for a broad readership and hold some significance for the transmission of traditional culture.
Xu Yimin was born in 1941 in Zhengding, Hebei. He graduated in 1966 from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University, where he specialized in classical Chinese texts. He worked for many years at Zhonghua Book Company, serving as director of the literature editing office, director of the Office of the National Planning Group for the Collation and Publication of Ancient Books, and editor-in-chief. He took part in major projects such as the Complete Song Poetry and the revised punctuation of the Twenty-Four Histories. His works include Examples of Ancient Book Collation, A Collated and Annotated Edition of Jinlouzi, and A Collated and Annotated Edition of Xu Ling's Collection. He also wrote Annotated Commentary on Youyang Zazu and The Collected Works of Yu Xin, which touch on Eastern philosophy and classical poetry. His annotations emphasize textual criticism and textual explication, offering reliable editions for understanding the literature and thought of the Six Dynasties through the Tang.
